Patent GB-656097-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to record controlled recording machines
IPC: G06K15/08
Filed: 1948-08-05
Abstract: 656,097. Record-card-controlled printing- apparatus. BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE CO., Ltd. Aug. 5, 1948, No. 20697. Convention date, Aug. 13, 1947. [Class 100 (iv)] In a record-card-controlled multiple-column recording-machine, e.g. a machine wherein data sensed from a card is subsequently printed on that card, a storage mechanism for retaining the data sensed for subsequent printing comprises (a) for each column a group of interposers 380, Fig. 17, which are set in various combinations to control the selection of the required type-faces; (b) a set of bails 410 common to all the groups of interposers and moved to the right, Fig. 17, cyclically during the operation of the machine in the various combinations corresponding to the code employed; and (c) means controlled by the sensing for moving a group of interposers to the left, Fig. 17, at the time those bails 410 corresponding to the code of the typeface required are moved to the right, the displaced bails causing release of the corresponding interposers to set position. As shown, the mechanism is applied to a machine employing printing apparatus similar to that of Specification 575,846, wherein a horizontallyreciprocating carriage carries a horizontal line of type and when the required type is opposite the column in which it is to be printed, a hammer is released. Also the usual card code is translated by the machine into a six-position code, each bail 410 and interposer 380 corresponding to one position. Cards from a hopper 11, Fig. 2, are fed by a picker mechanism 12-18 operated by a follower and cam 19, 20, Fig. 1, driven by shafting and gearing 21-26 and a one-revolution clutch mechanism 27-32. The clutch is actuated by an electro. magnet CFCM, so as to cause the drive of a belt driven shaft 38 to be transmitted into one cycle of operation of the machine each time the magnet CFCM is operated. The shaft 21 also drives a series of feeding rollers 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, the second pair co-operating with sensing brushes 52 to form a control station and the final pair co-operating with sensing brushes 53 to form a reading station. From the feeding rollers the cards are fed to one of two platens 62, 61 which carry alternate cards anti-clockwise to a printing station comprising sixty sliding type members 63 horizontally arranged on a carriage travelling past sixty actuating hammers. From the printing station each card is delivered into a stacker 64, at which time the second platen 61 is ready to receive the next card. The data sensed on the card by the reading bushes 53 is stored until the card is at the printing station and the information on any one " Master " card may be retained to print on any number of " Detail " cards until a second or subsequent " Master " card is sensed, whereupon the previous information is cancelled and the new data set up. An adjustment is provided so that the data can be printed in between any horizontal row on the cards. Platen rotation, card clamping and feeding.- The platen 62, Fig. 2, comprises a cylindrical surface 62 supported by two side arms fixed to a shaft 65 and at the front of each platen is a card clamp 72 pivotally mounted on a shaft 70 so that a lug 77 thereon may co-act with a cam-plate 78 to open the clamp at the card receiving and stacking positions. The shaft 65 Fig. 4, is driven by a ratchet device 86, 90 and pinion 92 free on the shaft 65. The pinion is rotated by a toothed sector 93 moved clockwise about a shaft 94 by a shaft 102 attached thereto which is itself moved by a driving arm 100 oscillated about the shaft 94 by the action of a follower 124 attached to the arm 100, against a cam 125 on a driving shaft 130. Between the shaft 102 and the arm 100 is a cam 105 and follower roller 106 which can change the relative rotational position of the sector 93 and the driving arm 100, in order that the printing can be effected in various positions on the card. In the normal position shown in Fig. 4, printing takes place at the leading position on the card, i.e. between the rows 8 and 9 but when it is required to print on other rows it is necessary to speed up the feed of the card a proportional amount which necessitates the platen driving sector 93 to move faster than the arm 100. This is effected by an adjustable cam 135 limiting the movement of an arm 115 attached to a small toothed sector 110 which travels freely about the shaft 94 at the same speed as the arm 100, meshes with a pinion 108 on the stud 102 attached to the sector 93, and carries the cam connection 105. When the sector 110 is stopped by the cam 135 the pinion 108 rolls on the teeth of sector 110 causing cam 105 to rotate, moving sector 93 more rapidly than the arm 100. The second platen operates similarly from separate cams on the shaft 130. Printing - mechanism.-The printing - mechanism comprises a series of type members 63 having type faces pivoted about vertical axes and which are slidably mounted in a removable bar 203, Fig. 10, on a horizontally-reciprocating carriage 202 situated between an ink ribbon and the type hammers 201. The carriage is connected through a lost-motion device at each end to a permutation bar 225, Fig. 17, which is horizontally moved to and fro past the card and the hammers by a mechanism similar to that described in Specification 575,846 and which comprises a rocking slider 261 which is rocked to engage either of two helical grooves in two oppositely-rotating shafts. As the carriage is moved across the machine the permutation bar permits, according to the character setting of a pin mechanism 352, Fig. 17, a hook 351, Fig. 10, to move upwardly under the pull of a spring 364 and engage on top of a latch 312 which holds a type hammer 201 in the rearward position shown. On the next increment of movement of the permutation bar the hook 351 will be depressed because the pin settings will no longer represent the particular character to be typed; the lost-motion device enabling this to be effected follows the alignment of holes irrespective of the direction of travel of the permutation bar. Depression of the hook 351 pivots the latch 312 and the hammer 201 is thus impelled against the type member 63 by means of a spring-tensioned hammer lever 286. It is conditional for the hooks 351 to engage the latches 312 that a print control magnet PCM be operated, otherwise two bars 502, 5021 are held rearwardly against the hooks 351. This mechanism is necessary to prevent the descent of the permutation bar 225 into printing position from firing all the hammers. A rebound check pawl 315 jumps across the notch 318 as the hammer is released, but after the hammer has rebounded against a rubber strip 282 the second slower movement causes the pawl 315 to enter the notch 318 and hold the bar 201 away from the type-members. In order to assemble the bars 201 at card column spaces alternate bars have the latches staggered as shown dotted at 312<SP>1</SP>, and alternate hammer-operating springs 289, 290 are anchored at different positions. Before the commencement of each cycle all hammers are restored by a bar 320 engaging a depending notch 321 on the set-bars 201. Adjustment to the actual moment of release of the bars is effected by raising their rear end pin bearings 295-299. Pin set-up mechanism.-Referring to Fig. 17 the permutation bar 225 has six horizontal rails 1-6 on each side and the underside of each rail has two rows of recesses 372, 373, between which heads 371 of set-pins 352 (one assembly on each side of the bar 225), are moved in accordance with the alignment required for the stem 359 of the hook 351 to be free to rise. The pins 352 have a resetting frame 460 and are set by vertical rows of six interposers 380 urged upwardly by springs 384 but held downwardly by latches 391 pivotally mounted on rivets 389 on a set-up bar 390 urged leftwardly by a spring 396 but held to the right by armatures 399 of the printing magnet PM appertaining to the particular column. When a code is read by the reading brushes the print magnet PM for that column is energized so that when one of the raised portions of a.cam 405 strikes the end of the set-up bar 390 it becomes unlatched from the armature 399 and moves to the left. The armatures are restored by knock-off bails 480, 484, actuated by cams between each index point. Analyser mechanism.-The lower ends of the latches 391 are positioned in front of analyser bails 410 mounted on a respective rock-shaft 411 moved clockwise through a small angle by a follower 413 actuated by six cams 414 having raised parts as indicated on the timing diagram, Fig. 25 (not shown). At each index point of the machine cycle a certain combination of the analyser bails will be rocked. For example, at index point 9 cams numbers 5 and 6 will pivot bails 5 and 6 so that when the set-up bar 390 moves to the left, Fig. 17, the respective latches are released, allowing the interposers 380 to rise and position themselves behind the required pins 352. The pins are moved forwardly into the permutation bar 225 by a sliding movement of the interposers effected by a framework 382 moved horizontally at the appropriate time in the cycle by a cam mechanism. The interposers are withdrawn to their latched position by a cam mechanism and the pins 352 are reset by a further cam 469 and a follower 468, Fig. 23, carried on a lever 467 freely pivoted on a shaft 466 and which transmits restoring action to a lever 464 and pin re-setting frame 460 via a latch 471. When, however, the information is to be stored for printing on following cards the latch 471 is attracted to a pin restoring control magnet PRCM breaking the mechanical connection between the cam 469 and the re-setting lever 465. Zero suppression.-By suitable plug connections, zero figures to the left of the first significant figure of the number being printed are left blank since the raising of the interposers 380 number 2 does not, as does the other inte